Trump strikes India with an additional 25 % tariff for the purchase of Russian oil

US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday and hit India with an additional 25 % tariff on its purchases of Russian oil.

This will raise a total tariff for Indian imports to the United States to 50 % – among the highest rates imposed by the United States.

The new rate must be valid “21 days after the date of this request,” as stated by the executive.

A response from the Indian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that New Delhi had already clarified its position on imports from Russia, and reiterated that the tariff was “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”

“It is very unfortunate that the United States chooses to impose an additional tariff on India on measures that many other countries also take in its national interest,” the statement said.

The American president had earlier warned of raising the drawings, saying that India officials “do not care about the number of people in Ukraine who are killed by the Russian war machine.”

On Wednesday, the White House said in a statement that “the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine pose a continuous threat to national security and American foreign policy, which requires stronger measures to address national emergency.

“The import of India from the Russian Federation’s oil undermines US efforts to confront the harmful activities of Russia.”

The White House added that India is importing and subsequently reselling Russian oil in the market “enables the economy in the Russian Federation to finance its aggression (in Ukraine).”

He added that the United States will determine other countries importing oil from Russia, and will recommend more measures for the president as needed.

The high tariffs threatened on Wednesday’s meetings by the senior Trump Steve Wittovs in Moscow, which aims to secure peace between Russia and Ukraine.

New Delhi had previously described Trump’s threat to raise tariffs about the purchase of oil from Russia “unjustified and unreasonable.”

In a previous statement, a spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry, Randir Jaiswal, said that the United States encouraged India to import Russian gas at the beginning of the conflict, “to enhance the stability of global energy markets.”

He said that India “started importing from Russia because the traditional supplies were transferred to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict.”

It shows the latest tariff that Trump’s willingness to impose war -related sanctions in Ukraine, even against countries that the United States considers important allies or commercial partners.

This may be a warning that other countries may feel real if Trump collected this type of sanctions as soon as the deadline passed on Friday, when the US President threatened new sanctions on Russia and put a 100 % tariff for countries that buy oil.

India has previously criticized the United States – its largest commercial partner – to provide definitions, when the United States itself is still trade with Russia.

“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and economic security,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Last year, the goods in the United States were worth $ 3.5 billion (2.6 billion pounds) with Russia, despite difficult sanctions and definitions.

With files from BBC North America Anthony Zurcher.